Just One More Night
by Emerald Alchemist
Summary: It's been an entire year since Maureen has talked to Mark, Roger, Mimi, Collins and her. But even after a long year, the memories of Joanne are eating her alive. Will she ever see her again? Read and Review! D
1. One Year Later

Maureen walked into the all familiar Life Café and slid herself free from her black leather coat. The warm air felt comforting against her rigid skin. As she shook the snow free from her chestnut hair, she found a secluded table in the corner by the window. Tonight was an odd night. She was usually the life of the party, the center of attention, but tonight she just wasn't in the mood. Especially this close to the holidays, which she'd slowly started to loathe. Ignoring more than a few awfully pretentious men (and women) that offered to buy her a drink, she walked to the little table and sat down. Unintentionally, she left reality to sit in her thoughts.

It had been an entire year since Angel died. It had been an entire year since she had talked to Mark, Mimi, Roger or Collins. It had been an entire year since she even had the slightest run in with Benny. It had been an entire year ever since she'd spoken to _her_.

Her parting with Joanne had been on anything but good terms. Joanne had stormed out on her, leaving her all alone. That was exactly a year ago tonight. Admittedly, she knew it was all her fault. She flirted too much, she was never grateful for having Joanne around. She definitely deserved what she got. A door slammed in her face. She deserved the cold shoulder.

Despite what Joanne might believe, Maureen really did love her. She was in love with her, and _only_ her. No matter how much she 'flirted' with other people, Joanne would always be her one and only. That didn't matter anymore though, at least not to Joanne.

She didn't deserve someone as great as Joanne, and she never would. They were too opposite. She loved to have fun, to live a little. Joanne was uptight, the jealous type. No matter how much she didn't want to believe it, they were completely incompatible. That's just the way things worked out in the end. She tried to tell herself that it was for the best, tried to put a smile on and get back to her usual self and outrageous lifestyle.

But even after a year, things never got back to the way they had been before Joanne had left…She still loved Joanne, but there was no chance with that anymore. She just had to let it go…

"Hey, mind if I sit here?" asked a smiling guy. His hair was platinum blonde, side parted. It was shaggy, but not unkempt. Maureen didn't answer. She didn't even glance up to look at him. Slightly less confident, he sat himself in the chair across from her.

"Something bothering you?" he asked as he leaned forward to stare into her eyes. Again, she said nothing.

"Maybe if I ignore him, he'll go away," she thought. She moved her gaze to out the window.

"Maureen…please," said the man, almost pleading with her. "Talk to me." Her green eyes grew wide as she realized who the man was.

Author's Note: So yeah, inspiration randomly struck me and this came out. Update should be up soon. Please Read and Review! =)


	2. Meeting

Maureen sat there, her expression awestruck. She looked closer at the smiling blonde across from her, his thick rimmed glasses covering his sapphire eyes.

"Mark?!" she asked breathlessly. She could never forget that face, not in a million years. Even after all this time, she recognized his gentle smile, his soft eyes, his pale skin, everything. She threw herself across the table and wrapped her arms around him.

"Miss me?" he asked jokingly as he hugged her back. He pressed his face against her dark curls. He missed the sweet smell of her shampoo and body spray.

"Too much," she said truthfully as she set herself back down. She felt herself smiling, something she hadn't done in a long time.

"So, how have you been?" she asked, giving him a small pat on the shoulder.

"Things have been better," said Mark with a sigh. Maureen's smile faded.

"Why's that?" she asked.

"Everything's just so difficult lately," replied Mark as he ran his fingers through his blonde hair, which had grown out quite a bit since the last time she saw him. "Nothing's the same as last year…"

"Tell me about it," muttered Maureen. Last year was great. Everyone was together and happy. Roger, Mimi, Angel, Collins, Maureen, Joanne and Mark, nothing could've ever been better. But now, everything was different.

"So what's everyone been up to?" asked Maureen as she crossed her right leg over her left one. "Have you heard from Joanne? I haven't talked to her in forever."

"She seems to be the only one of us that's doing all right on her own," said Mark. Maureen's expression saddened. Deep down, she wished that Joanne had been feeling the same way she had, but she obviously wasn't.

"Oh…" she said quietly. "Well that's good…" She paused for a moment. "Is she seeing anyone?" Mark thought for a moment before answering. This was the ultimate truth. If Joanne had still loved Maureen, had still been waiting for Maureen…

"Yeah…" he answered. All Maureen's hopes came crashing down. "A very pretty girl named Rayne." They sat in silence for awhile so Maureen could think of a way to disguise the hurt she was feeling.

"Well, as long as she's happy," she said finally as she added that fake smile she had perfected over this past year. She hastily tried to change the subject. "How's everyone else doing?"

"Well," he started. "Mimi's not doing too well, the AZT isn't even helping anymore…and that's killing Roger, of course…" Maureen's eyes widened. "She's starting to look like Angel did only a couple weeks before this time last year…"

"Oh god," said Maureen. "I have to see her…"

"You could come back to the apartment, if you'd like…" he offered.

"That would be great, I haven't seen everyone in such a long time," she replied.

"Put on your coat, and we'll walk there then," said Mark. He smiled gently at her. "It's freezing out there…" She smiled back and slid her coat over her bare shoulders.

"Ready?" he asked as he opened the door of the Life Café. He walked out into the blustery cold New York weather.

"As I'll ever be…" she answered as she exited, closing the door behind her.

Author's Note: Another chapter, yay! Hope you like it so far, the chapters will start to get longer as the story comes along more. Read and Review!


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